Effects of Including a Chronic Pain Neuroscience Education Program for Individuals With Knee OA

Effects of Including a Chronic Pain Neuroscience Education Program for Individuals With Knee OA: Randomized, Blinded Clinical Trial

Research participants diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis will be randomized through a draw using sealed opaque envelopes indicating two groups: 1. therapeutic exercises, 2. therapeutic exercises + chronic pain neuroscience education program. The primary outcome will be functional performance using a patient-reported measure, the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS).

The selected secondary outcomes will be pain intensity by the numerical pain scale (END), physical function reported by the patient by the patient-specific functional scale (EFEP), Pain self-efficacy questionnaire (PSEQ), functional mobility by the timed up and test (TUG), general effect perceived through the global perception scale (EPG), muscle strength through Maximum Voluntary Isometric Contraction (MVIC) and functionality and disability through the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS).

Inclusion Criteria:

• A clinical diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis (knee pain for > 3 months
• Morning stiffness <30 minutes
• Crepitus
• Bone tenderness, and absence of palpable heat and/or diagnosis established radiographically (determined by Kellgren and Lawrence grade 1 to 3 on a scale 1 up to 4)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Hip OA
• severe osteoporosis
• Fibromyalgia
• Medical history of tumors or cancer
• Active inflammatory joint diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, gout)
• Undergoing any lower extremity joint replacement
• Neurological diseases (Parkinson's disease, stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, motor neuron disease, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive and cardiopulmonary impairment that may prevent or limit the performance of exercises, use of a gait assistance device, history of recent knee trauma.
• Having undergone any form of treatment involving physiotherapy, intra-articular corticosteroids, anti-inflammatories or chondroprotective in the last six months